Rebecca Myers
As the price of a barrel of crude oil hits the $75 mark, the gas pump may not be the only place you feel the pain. About 1 million bbl. a day–roughly 5% of U.S. consumption–go toward the manufacture of plastics, detergents and other nonfuel products. Researchers are working on cheaper, eco-friendlier alternatives to oil-derived ingredients, but with the prevalence of petroleum, that’s a big challenge. Here’s another: Test your knowledge by checking the boxes next to the products that typically use petroleum-based ingredients. Answers are at the bottom. HOUSE PAINT
DIAPERS
TOOTHPASTE
SLIPPERS
CIGARETTES
ASPHALT
PILLS
LIPSTICK
PIANO KEYS
Answer: All these items contain some petroleum-derived ingredients.
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